Download Oldham SACRE Beginners Guide to Religions

Beginner’s guides to the religions and beliefs
recommended for learning
Teachers of RE need subject knowledge to teach RE well. There is no substitute for
this, and it is part of our professional responsibility. Here is some simple help.
Any RE subject leader might use this section of the RE Syllabus Support materials to help class
teachers who are not expert in a religion they are going to teach. The guides to each religion here
are very brief – just three pages usually, and carefully focused on what a teacher need to be
reminded about. They are in danger of being trite or superficial, but perhaps are better than
nothing.
There is a wide introductory literature to every religion and belief, and all teachers of RE will do
their work better if they improve their knowledge by wider reading than is offered here. But
perhaps it is worth giving these starting points to busy teachers. Note that no primary teacher
needs to know about 6 religions – if you teach one year group, then two or three religions will be
part of the syllabus for that year.
In general terms, the following guidance points apply to teaching about any
religion:
1. Respect. Speak with respect about the faith: any religion with tens of millions of followers
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
is being studied because the people within the faith deserve our respect.
Diversity. Talk about ‘some / many /most’ believers, but not about ‘All believers’. Diversity
is part of every religion.
Neutrality. Leave ‘insider language’ to insiders. A Sikh visitor can say ‘We believe...’ but
teachers will do best to say ‘many Sikhs believe...’ or ‘many Christians believe...’
General words. Use the general language of religious study to describe things: the Qur’an
is not the ‘Muslim Bible’ – it is the Muslim sacred text. Divali is not the ‘Hindu’s Christmas’ –
it is a Hindu festival.
Learning about religion, not ‘comparative religion’. Don’t make simplistic comparisons
between different religions. Look for similarities, but notice differences too.
Living religion. Focus on the ‘here and now’ of local expressions of religion in your area or
in the UK: RE is not merely History.
Content light, concept deep. It is better to deal with a small piece of religious
understanding in depth than to skate over the surface of vast areas of content, never
grasping any of it in depth.
A gift to the child: the idea of learning from religion is that anyone can take a gift from a
faith. You don’t have to become Jewish to learn from Judaism. Look for the gift your pupils
may gain from their study.
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Religion in Oldham and the Region
Census figures from 2011
It is very valuable for pupils to learn about religion as it is in the UK today. Census figures are one
source for this kind of enquiry. The tables below provide some basic information, but much more
and more detail is available from the website: www.statistics.gov.uk. Secondary pupils can use this
website for themselves, with some guidance.
Religion in Oldham, the region and the UK
CENSUS
2011
Area name
All
categories
Religion
Christian
Buddhist
Hindu
Jewish
Muslim
Sikh
Other
religion
No religion
Not
stated
NORTH
WEST
Greater
Mancheste
r
Bolton
7,052,177
4,742,860
20,695
38,259
30,417
356,458
8,857
19,166
1,397,916
437,549
2,682,528
1,657,594
9,555
23,478
25,013
232,787
5,322
7,429
557,129
164,221
276,786
173,608
574
5,988
174
32,385
118
721
47,567
15,651
Bury
185,060
116,036
453
817
10,302
11,279
301
422
34,381
11,069
Mancheste
r
Oldham
503,127
245,247
3,879
5,452
2,613
79,496
2,292
1,889
127,485
34,774
224,897
134,167
371
1,233
108
39,879
70
406
36,169
12,494
Rochdale
211,699
128,186
403
642
216
29,426
71
430
40,014
12,311
Salford
233,933
150,111
1,040
1,504
7,687
6,030
324
691
52,105
14,441
Stockport
283,275
179,055
853
1,666
1,340
9,431
330
964
71,126
18,510
Tameside
219,324
140,322
511
3,223
89
9,705
102
651
51,674
13,047
Trafford
226,578
143,639
768
2,271
2,413
12,994
1,652
566
47,968
14,307
Wigan
317,849
247,223
703
682
71
2,162
62
689
48,640
17,617
Note that while some populations may be numbers in hundreds or the low thousands in our
immediate area, we are educating pupils to live in a region, nation and world – not merely in a
‘village’.
Since 2001, the biggest change has been the increase in the number of non religious people in the
UK from 15% to 25% and a 12% fall in the number identifying themselves as Christians. But
Christianity is still selected by 59% of the population as their chosen description of religious
identity.
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Buddhism
Who was ‘The Buddha’
Buddhism was founded by an Indian prince – Siddattha Gotama – two and a half thousand years
ago. He became known as Lord Buddha, which means ‘the enlightened one’. Prince Siddattha (or
Siddhartha) was brought up in a palace, enjoying the luxurious life of a royal prince. When he was
born, it was prophesied that he would either become a great king or an even greater spiritual
teacher. As his parents wanted him to inherit the kingdom, they did everything they could to
prevent him from seeing suffering in any of its forms.
However, he eventually managed to leave the palace secretly. Each time he escaped, he saw that
the world was full of the sufferings of old age, sickness and death. Moved by compassion for the
sufferings he saw, Siddhartha became determined to do something about it. Inspired by the sight
of a wandering holy man, he decided that he would not inherit the kingdom – he would become a
wandering monk, free to search for a way to end suffering for himself and everyone else.
At the age of thirty-five, he finally rejected extreme poverty (asceticism), just as he had previously
rejected extreme wealth, because neither led to freedom. Sitting down under a Bodhi tree, he
resolved that he wouldn’t rise again until he had reached his goal. In meditation, he defeated the
four ‘Maras’ (which are four root causes of suffering) and finally became enlightened. He spent his
remaining 40 years known as the Buddha, teaching his followers a way of life based on morality,
meditation and wisdom, so they too could awaken.
The Three Jewels of Refuge
All Buddhists ‘take Refuge’ in the Three Jewels:
 The Buddha
 The Dharma (teaching)
 The Sangha (community)
The Buddha
‘The Buddha’ means the historical Buddha – Siddattha Gotama (also spelt ‘Gautama’) or
Shakyamuni Buddha: but it is taught that there have been many buddhas in the past and will be
many in the future. It also means ‘buddhahood’ itself, enlightenment.
There are different ways of following the Buddha, depending on what tradition you belong to.
Some Buddhists practise for the sake of becoming free of suffering for themselves. They take the
historical Buddha as a guide and exemplar. Other Buddhists believe that you can only become free
of the cycle of birth and death through developing complete compassion and wisdom like the
Buddha himself.
The Dharma
The Dhamma or Dharma is the name given to Buddha’s teachings. They are divided into three
collections,: the Sutras, which are the discourses given by the Buddha, the Vinaya which are the
instructions for the lay and monastic lifestyles; and the Abidharma teachings which analyse the
nature of mind. There are also many texts taught by great masters to help people understand the
Buddhas teachings. The Dharma also means your own true understanding of Buddha’s teachings.
The Sangha
This is the community of lay and monastic Buddhist practitioners. Some traditions are mainly
monastic, some mainly lay and some both. Monks and nuns have given up family life to
concentrate on prayer and meditation They rely on the lay community to provide them with food
and clothing. This gives ordinary people the opportunity to practice virtue (through giving) and
also to follow their teachings.
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Most Buddhists visit a temple or Buddhist centre when they can and especially on ‘Moon Days’ (full
and new moon) and on the Four Great Festivals which commemorate the most important events in
Lord Buddha’s life. On these days, it is said that the mind is extremely powerful and it is very
important to practice good deeds.
Families also have a small shrine in their own homes, where they make offerings and prayers (good
wishes) and where they meditate. There are many different forms of meditation.
The Guru or Lama or teacher is very important in Buddhism. He or she provides the teachings
appropriate for each individual, gives advice on how to follow them and helps us to avoid
misunderstanding, jealousy and pride. For this reason, the teacher as well as the temple, is treated
with great respect and gratitude, as a representative of the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
What did the Buddha Teach?
The Five Precepts
These are commitments made by lay Buddhists (i.e. ordinary householders, men and women) as a
basis for a positive way of life.
1. Not killing or harming any living being, from conception to death.
2. Not lying or trying to mislead others for your own benefit.
3. Not stealing – trying to be more generous in thoughts, words and deeds.
4. Not practising sexual misconduct - treating your sexual partner appropriately and with
kindness, not abusively or deceitfully.
5. Not becoming intoxicated by drink or drugs, because this makes it impossible for you to
carry out any of your other good intentions.
‘The Four Thoughts that turn the mind to Dharma’
Although there are many different forms of Buddhism, there are some core teachings which they
all have in common.

Precious Human Birth

Impermanence

Karma, Cause and Effect

The Suffering of Conditioned Existence or just ‘Suffering’)
These are the ‘entry-level’ teachings in Buddhism: the Four Noble Truths are studied at a much
higher level. They are also transferable tools for non-Buddhist pupils as a useful way of thinking
about their own empirical experience. They can be taught through one teaching aid, the ‘Wheel of
Life’ (not to be confused with ‘The Wheel of Dharma’) which is readily available in poster form.
Precious Human Birth
Human life is precious because it is rare and valuable.

It is rare because the cause of being born a human is the practice of virtue in other lives,
and this is always more difficult than practicing selfishness.

It is valuable because the only way out of the cycle of birth and death is from the human
realm. Only human beings can practice religion. It is only as a human that one can attain
enlightenment.
Even if one is born a human, there are other things that make up a ‘precious human birth’. For
example, and living in a culture that has humane values; having the time and the freedom to
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practice our religion; having compassion for others and not being involved in very negative
actions.
Impermanence
The Buddha taught that everything and every situation is impermanent, for example:

Our world, right from the changing of the seasons to the birth and death of stars and
planets.

Our own bodies and our health: we are all going to die one day but of course no one
knows exactly when.
 Our thoughts and feelings, our families and relationships, our friends and enemies.
Right now, we have precious human birth – the right body and mind and environment in which to
develop kindness and wisdom – but this will not last for ever. The point of thinking about
impermanence is not to become gloomy but to encourage us to use this wonderful opportunity to
escape from the cycle of birth and death now, while we can.
Karma, Cause and Effect
Lord Buddha (or Shakyamuni Buddha, or the historical Buddha) taught that all our actions – of
body, speech and mind – have consequences. They are like seeds that ripen in different
experiences of happiness and suffering. Some of these effects ripen quite quickly, in this life: some
ripen much later when conditions are right, which may be in future lives.
The karmic effects of actions depend essentially on their intention but there are some actions
which generally cause happiness and others which generally cause suffering. Actions based on
ignorance, selfishness and hatred cause suffering. Actions rooted in generosity, patience,
thoughtfulness and courage create future happiness.
The Suffering of Conditioned Existence (or just ‘Suffering’)
The causes of suffering are ignorance (of the true nature of our minds); and hatred and desire
which come from ignorance. These are shown at the hub of the Wheel of Life as a pig (ignorance),
a cockerel (desire) and a snake (hatred). Around these are six types of environment produced by
negative mental actions. The hell realm is created by anger; the hungry ghost realm is created by
greed; the animal realm through ignorance; the demon realm through jealousy; the heaven realm
through virtue but also pride.
The human realm has all these elements but also the freedom to stand back and look at our
experience, to ask questions about it and to choose to develop virtues such as kindness and
patience. We can also develop an understanding of how suffering works – that is shown in the
pictures around the rim of the Wheel.
The Wheel of Life is like a mirror held by the Lord of Death. This shows that we will continue to die
and be re-born until we understand the causes of happiness and suffering. In every ‘realm’ there is
an image of the Buddha, showing that there is a way to freedom from wherever we are.
In the UK
The Buddhist communities of the UK number about 200 000. Many of these people are ethnic
Chinese, Thai, Tibetan or Nepalese. There are also many Buddhists from European ethnic heritage
who have joined the Buddhist community as adults. There are hundreds of Buddhist centres,
temples and viharas - large and small - in the UK, and some in Yorkshire.
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Buddhism: Some ‘Dos and Don’ts’
‘Dos’
‘Don’ts’
 Do teach the life of the Buddha, the Dhamma
(teaching) and Sangha (Community) as the
central ideas of Buddhism.
 Don’t confuse showing respect for the
Buddha with worship of the Buddha, as if
he were a god. Bowing in front of images
or shrines expresses respect and
gratitude.
 Do teach about the local ‘here and now’
communities of Buddhists in the UK as well as
those far away or long ago. ‘A living tradition’
is the right emphasis.
 Do teach about the lay community – most
Buddhists are not monks or nuns: avoid
suggesting that all Buddhists are celibate
monks or nuns with shaved heads. Many
active and devoted Buddhists adopt no
obvious sign of their faith.
 Do teach about happy Buddhists: be cautious
about the use of the word ‘suffering’ as it is
used in accounts of the ‘Four Noble Truths’.
Suffering (dukkha) refers to the unsatisfactory
nature of life. Buddhism doesn’t claim that
everything is painful.
 Do select stories from the ‘Jataka tales’
carefully for the classroom. These are
accounts of the previous lives of the Buddha.
Some are enjoyable for pupils but some are
quite difficult to grasp and can appear to
outsiders to be grim or ghastly tales of
sacrifice.
 Do teach about meditation, but don’t ask
pupils to ‘try meditation’. Stilling activities to
encourage the class to be more reflective are
in order but simply announcing that everyone
in the class is going to have a go at Buddhist
meditation comes so close to a faith activity
that unless one has the consent of everyone it
is unfair on the pupils.
 Do teach about diversity within Buddhism, for
example remember that not all Buddhist
monks and nuns wear saffron robes, e.g. Zen
wear black/brown; Nichiren wear white and
yellow; Cha’an wear black; and Tibetan wear
wine/gold.
 Do teach the Noble Eightfold Path – noting
that it is not eight steps, but one path with
eight aspects. The path is actually followed
when observing all eight aspects together.
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 Don’t refer to Siddhatha Gautama as
‘Buddha’ until after his enlightenment.
Strictly speaking the status ‘the Buddha’
can only be given to Siddhatha after his
‘awakening’ under the Bodhi tree.
 Don’t use the term ‘reincarnation’; it
suggests a soul or something which can
be reincarnated. Many Buddhists prefer
the term ‘Rebirth’. It is good to
distinguish Buddhism on its own terms,
not tying it to ‘eastern religions’ as if they
are all the same: they are not!
 Don’t use the term ‘Begging Bowl’; ‘Alms
Bowl’ is better. Members of the Sangha
are not allowed to ask for food, so
‘begging’ is inappropriate. It suggests
members of the Sangha are parasites on
the laity when both support each other.
 Don’t suggest all Buddhists are atheists,
however, most would see debating the
existence of God as irrelevant to the
pursuit of enlightenment.
 Don’t equate Buddhist meditation with
Hindu or other forms of meditation.
Buddhist meditation leads to calm,
concentration and insight; it is associated
with achieving ‘Mindfulness’ or being fully
aware. Other forms of meditation are
often associated with drawing on
transcendent forces outside of the self
 Don’t use the term ‘merit’ without
explaining it is not a ‘points system’ to
gain as much personal merit as possible.
Merit is only kept when given away totally
and freely. A paradox – and not the only
one.
 Don’t refer to the Five Precepts (for laity)
or Ten Precepts (for the Sangha) as
commandments but as ‘commitments’ to
train oneself in certain ways. They are
taken on voluntarily.
Christianity
Christianity began in approximately 33 AD (Usually called ‘CE’ / Common Era by RE teachers). It was
started by the followers of Jesus. At the centre of Christianity is the belief that Jesus is the Son of
God. The basic beliefs of a Christian can be summed up in the creeds. The two main creeds in
Christianity are the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed.
The Apostles’ Creed: a widely shared and historic statement of belief for Christians
‘I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, died and was buried. He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended to heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
The holy catholic church,
The communion of saints,
The forgiveness of sins,
The resurrection of the body,
And the life everlasting.
Amen.’
The Trinity: God, three in one
Christianity is a monotheistic religion which teaches that God is one, known in three persons or in
three ways of being. These are God the Father and creator, Jesus the incarnate son of God, God
made flesh, and the Holy Spirit, God working in the world. Christians believe the Trinity is one God
working in three different ways.
Jesus Christ
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Palestine to a woman called Mary, who the Bible says was a virgin.
The Bible also tells of the visitors at his birth: angels, shepherds and wise men. He grew up in
Nazareth and at the age of about 30 became a preacher, healer and teacher. He was baptised and
the Bible tells of his temptation by Satan in the wilderness. Jesus recruited a group of followers
called the disciples – meaning ‘followers’. The Bible describes Jesus telling parables and performing
healings and other miracles. He taught that the greatest commandment was to ‘love God with all
your heart, soul, mind and strength’. The second greatest commandment was to ‘love your
neighbour as yourself’. In his early thirties Jesus was crucified by the Roman rulers in Israel: he had
many enemies because of his controversial identification with the poor, outcast or unaccepted in
his society. Christians believe that three days later he was resurrected. The Bible tells of many
resurrection appearances of Jesus, alive again after he died and before he went to be with his
Father in Heaven. Christians believe that because of the love of God, shown when Jesus died, their
sins can be forgiven and that if they believe in Jesus as the Son of God they will enter Heaven when
they die.
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The Bible
The Christian holy book, or Bible, contains within it many writings or books.
It is divided into the Old Testament (perhaps better called the ‘First Testament’ or the ‘Jewish
Bible’, to acknowledge Christianity’s Jewish roots) – made up of the Jewish scriptures, writings
before the time of Jesus, and the New Testament – writings which are concerned with the life of
Jesus and his disciples and apostles.
The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew and consists of 39 books. The books include
laws, prophecy, psalms, poetry, history and stories. There are 27 books in the New Testament,
originally written in Greek. These books contain history, prophecy, gospels and letters.
All Christians consider the Bible a source of teaching and authority but there are different views on
how and whether it tells literal truth, spiritual truth or is to be read as an exploration of meaning.
Worship
Christians see themselves as a body of believers. It is the community rather than the building they
meet in which is of principal importance. Christians meet regularly on a Sunday but during the
week there are many other informal prayer meetings and groups that get together to study the
Bible or discuss how best to live a Christian life or provide services to the community.
Most Christian churches celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus by sharing bread and wine.
This has many different names such as Communion, Eucharist or Mass. Many services also include
praying, praising of God through music and singing, listening to the Bible and learning about its
meaning and application.
Praying and reading the Bible are not activities confined to Sundays. Many Christians pray and read
the Bible every day. The prayers they offer individually and in communal worship include praise of
God, confession, thanksgiving and asking for help and guidance from God.
Denominations
The Christian Church is divided into many different groups commonly known as denominations. There
are some different beliefs and ways of worshipping between the denominations but they all hold some
central beliefs. These are a belief in the Trinity and the resurrection, that Christians should live their lives
in a way that shows a love of God, and that when they die they will go to be with God.
The denominations can be organised into three groups:

The Orthodox Churches;

The Roman Catholic Church;

The Protestant Churches (these include Anglicans, Methodists, Baptists, the United Reformed
Church, Pentecostals, the Salvation Army, the Society of Friends and many others. Some ‘new
church’ communities don’t wish to be seen as a denomination).
Festivals
The most important festivals for Christians are Christmas, Easter and Pentecost.
At Christmas, Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. The period beginning four Sundays
before Christmas, and leading up to Christmas, is called Advent, which means ‘coming’. Easter is the
time when Christians remember the death and resurrection of Jesus. The 40 days leading up to this are
called Lent, when Christians spend time praying and considering the importance of the events at Easter.
Holy week includes Maundy Thursday (when the Last Supper is commemorated), Good Friday, the
crucifixion of Jesus, and Easter Sunday where the joy of the resurrection is celebrated. Pentecost is the
festival that recalls the time when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and Jesus finally ascended
into Heaven.
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In the UK
Christianity has been the major religious tradition and community in the UK for perhaps 1500 years,
since its arrival with the Romans. Churches, often ancient, can be found in every community. The history
and story of Christianity in the UK is important in children’s education, and the moral force and
spirituality of Christianity continue important in Britain. 59% of British people identified themselves in
the 2011 Census as Christians, though only about one tenth of that number are members of churches,
attending once a month or more. Although the churches have become less influential in the last half a
century, Christians still represent the largest religious community in the UK by a long way.
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Christianity: Some ‘Dos and Don’ts’
‘Dos’
‘Don’ts’
 Do teach the Christian belief about God
as trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, even
to younger children. It is mysterious, but
is at the heart of Christian understanding
of God.
 Don’t make any assumptions about who is or
is not a Christian. Never say ‘we’ for Christians,
and ‘them’ for other faiths! Avoid
inappropriate phrases like ‘our God’ or ‘we
believe’ when talking about Christianity and
using distancing devices such as ‘some
Christians believe... ’
 Do try to present the Christian belief that
Jesus was both fully God and fully human.
He was not ‘half man and half God’, or
God disguised as a human.
 Do be aware that the term ‘Holy Spirit’ is
the current Christian way of describing
the third person of the Trinity. The older
term ‘Holy Ghost’ is infrequent and
suggests unhelpful or trivial connections
with ghosts.
 Do help pupils understand that
Christianity takes a wide variety of
different forms e.g. Catholic, Orthodox,
Church of England, Pentecostal, Baptist
and also radical, liberal, Evangelical etc.
Don’t give the impression that all
Christians have identical beliefs or
practices.
 Do organise visits to a church which
involve some members of the
congregation being present. Visiting an
empty building can reinforce the
impression some pupils have that
churches are a monument to a faith which
is no longer relevant to anyone, a kind of
museum.
 Do be careful when exploring the
Eucharist and talking about the bread and
wine as the ‘body and blood of Christ’.
Pupils have been known to react in
negative or derisory ways e.g. expressing
disgust at the idea that this is somehow
cannibalism. A stress on symbolism is
good.
 Do be aware that Christians differ widely
in their understanding of the ‘bread and
wine’. For example, while Catholics refer
to the ‘real presence’ of Christ in the
bread and wine, others speak of them as
symbols used in memory of Jesus’ death.
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 Don’t represent Jesus in Christian belief as
being merely a good man, a wise teacher or a
prophet. For Christians, Jesus is God incarnate
represented by titles like ‘the Son of God’, ‘the
Christ’, ‘the Messiah’.
 Don’t edit out stories of Jesus from the study
children do: too much RE repeats the Good
Samaritan and Prodigal Son but never deals
with, for example, stories of controversy, so
Jesus appears to be boring and bland. Tell the
whole story.
 Don’t liken Christian belief in the Crucifixion
to beliefs in human sacrifices made to placate
a bloodthirsty God. Although described as a
sacrifice, the Crucifixion has to be understood
in the light of the Christian belief that Jesus is
both fully God and fully human; in some sense
God himself dies on the Cross to show divine
love.
 Don’t neglect the Resurrection as part of the
Easter story. However difficult it may seem,
the Resurrection and the Crucifixion are
inextricably linked and one should not be
taught without the other.
 Don’t suggest that Christians worship Mary or
the saints. In some denominations, prayers
are made to Mary or the saints as
intermediaries.
 Don’t use Bible stories as the basis of a topic
when their relevance is tenuous e.g. Noah’s
Ark isn’t really relevant to a theme on water,
or even animals. It’s a story about God’s care
for the earth, judgement and human morality.
Hinduism
Hindu traditions have no one founder or formal creedal statement. Hindu tradition dates back to
thousands of years BCE. The word ‘Hindu’ comes from a Persian form of the ancient Sanskrit word
‘Sindhu’, which was used to describe the river Indus. The term Hinduism is used to describe the
ancient religion of India. Those who practise Hinduism often call it the Sanatan Dharma, or the
eternal way. Hinduism is complex; some people describe it as being like the roots of the Banyan
tree – perhaps it is better seen as a number of similar religious traditions, not a single faith.
Hinduism is extremely diverse, depending on things such as culture, family background and
geographical location, endlessly varied in forms of expression, and in belief.
Hindu ideas about God / the divine
Brahman is the name given to the ultimate life force. Many Hindus would say there are many gods
and goddesses but only one God and that is Brahman. The most important deities are the Trimurti
which represents the three aspects of God. These are Brahma – the creator, Vishnu – the preserver
and Shiva – the dissolver.
Hindu families will devote themselves to one or two particular gods or goddesses as a way of
coming to God. Some people devote themselves to the human forms of the god Vishnu, known as
Avatars. Vishnu is believed to have come to Earth in human and animal form for example as Rama
and Krishna.
Sacred text
Hindu scriptures are of two types: Shruti and Smriti. Shruti means that which is heard, Smriti means
that which is remembered.
Shruti are also called revealed truths. These are scriptures which Hindus believe were revealed by
God to holy men, who interpreted them for people to aid their spiritual development. One example
of these is the Vedas which were written in Sanskrit. One part of the Vedas is known as the
Upanishads which includes discussion between holy men and their students.
As these texts were hard to understand, Hindu teachers wrote Smritis, which are also called
remembered truths. Many of these are stories, often in the form of poems. The stories tell of the
Trimurti and talk about the right way to behave. They explain the beliefs and values of the Hindu
way of living. An example of these is the Ramayana which tells the story of Rama and Sita, and the
Mahabharata which tells the story of Arjuna and his charioteer Lord Krishna. The most celebrated
part of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita, which contains the dialogue of Arjuna and Lord
Krishna. The Bhagavad Gita is the most loved and well known of the scriptures and for many
Hindus the one they are most likely to possess and be familiar with. Hindus regard the Bhagavad
Gita as their holy scripture because of the religious philosophy explained by Lord Krishna within it.
Worship
For most Hindus, there is an emphasis on worship in the home: parents teach their children how to
pray. Worship in the mandir, or temple, has some individual elements as well as communal aspects.
Many Hindu homes will have a room or a corner of a room set aside for a shrine before which puja,
or worship, will be performed. In the mandir in this country there will be several shrines to different
gods and goddesses whereas in India each mandir is often devoted to one deity. Communal
worship at the mandir usually takes place twice a day. At the mandir, Murtis (images of gods and
goddesses) are properly consecrated, whereas they may not be in the home.
Dharma
Dharma is fulfilling the duties of a Hindu, both those that are religious and those that relate to the
society and the extended family. There are many important duties such as looking after your
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dependants, the sick or elderly, those needy in society, avoiding arguments, ahimsa (respect for
life) and worshipping.
Karma
Karma is the law of cause and effect. This is the idea that every action has a positive or negative
effect. Karma is the sum of everything that an individual does: good and bad.
Samsara
Many Hindus have a belief in the cycle of reincarnation or rebirth known as Samsara. If they lead a
good life and fulfil their duties in this life then their next life will be better than their present one. If
they lead a bad life and do not fulfil their duties they will be reborn into a life less comfortable.
Eventually Hindus hope they will be able to step off the wheel of birth and death and achieve
Moksha, spiritual freedom, when the soul or Atman is no longer reborn.
Festivals
There are many festivals and special times which draw together family and community. There are
some large community celebrations such as those for Divali and Janamashtami (for example, in
Watford, annually, about 60 000 Hindus join the Janamashtami celebrations). Some other
important festivals are Navaratri, Holi, Shivaratri and Raksha Bandan.
Samskaras
There are four stages of Hindu life: student, householder, retirement and renunciation. The various
samskaras, or ritual steps, are sacraments designed to initiate a new stage of life. Not all of these
are carried out by all Hindus. Instead it depends on the family that each person belongs to. There
are different ritual steps based around birth and naming, the sacred thread ceremony, marriage
and death. For example, the sacred thread ceremony happens at the beginning of the student
stage when a boy is starting his education, often aged about seven or above. Within the ceremony
a boy is given a thread of cotton with three strands on it. He must wear this and make vows of
commitment promising to worship God, to respect holy men and their writing, to honour parents,
elders and ancestors and to do his duty to the poor and all living things.
In the UK
Over 800 000 Hindu people live in the UK (Census 2011: 817 000), and Mandirs or temples can be
found in many of our diverse cities. Hindu people make an impact in the community in many ways,
the most visible of which is probably the celebrations of Divali every autumn. There is hardly a
primary school in the country that doesn’t engage with Divali!
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Hinduism: Some ‘Dos and Don’ts’
‘Dos’
‘Don’ts’
 Do teach Hindu diversity. Use phrases like
‘Many Hindus...’ or ‘Most Hindus...’ There
are very few true sentences that begin ‘all
Hindus.’
 Don’t say ‘All Hindus...’. The only true
sentence that starts like this is: ‘All Hindus
are different’.
 Do teach about the 800 000 + Hindus in
Britain, and give a local flavour to learning
whenever you can. Hindu religion is ‘here
and now’ as well as ‘far away and long ago’.
 Do attempt to introduce pupils to the
Hindu idea of one God, Brahman, the
World Soul, rather than ever suggesting
that Hindus are polytheists, who believe in
many gods.
 Do talk about both ‘gods and goddesses’
because the feminine energy in Ultimate
reality is recognised clearly in Hindu forms
of the goddess such as Shakti, Lakshmi,
Durga and Ambaji.
 Do teach about the changing role of caste
in Indian society: be cautious about the use
of the word ‘Harijan’ (Children of God) used
by Gandhi to describe ‘outcasts’. It is now
often resented as patronising. ‘Dalit
people’ is the best term to use. Dalit
people may be mostly Hindu, but this
discrimination is a problem in other
religious communities in India too.
 Do present Hindu worship as something
that happens at home even more than at
the mandir, and set the whole of the Hindu
Dharma in the context of family and
community life.
 Do make sure that children come to
understand that Hindu dharma (‘the eternal
way’) is not one unified religion, but
perhaps best understood as a lot of
religious ideas and practices. Diversity
matters even more in Hindu tradition than
in other religions.
 Do use the spelling ‘Rama’ rather than
‘Ram’ when writing about the incarnation
of the god. This may help avoid
unnecessary comments about male sheep.
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 Don’t learn about Hindu India only: there
are Hindu communities in Africa, the UK
and the Caribbean as well. It is a global
religion.
 Don’t concentrate too much on Gandhi:
there are other great Hindu spiritual
leaders to learn from too, such as
Vivekananda, Pandurang Shastri Athavale,
Shri Aurobindho, and more contemporary
figures.
 Don’t trivialise the concept of Samsara
(reincarnation) by suggesting that in one’s
next life one may be reincarnated as a
species other than human e.g. a spider,
ant, fly. Although theoretically possible
to leap from human to another species
Hinduism emphasises that the process is
a slow one taking place over hundreds of
incarnations.
 Don’t describe the images and paintings
of Hindu gods and goddesses as ‘idols’.
This suggests Hindus literally worship the
statue or painting. Hindus use images
(properly called ‘Murtis’) to aid and focus
worship.
 Don’t refer to the trimurti in Hinduism of
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as being ‘the
Hindu Trinity’. The role of these three
gods in Hinduism bears no resemblance
to the place of the Christian Trinity
(Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
 Don’t use photographs of Hindu ascetics
or holy men (Sadhus) too casually: it is
important to prepare pupils properly
when using material which may lay others
open to ridicule, so images of people
caked in mud, naked, or practicing
asceticism should be used very carefully.
Islam
Please note: Muhammad is highly respected by Muslims and it is usual to say the blessing ‘peace be upon him’ after his name. In text
this is often shortened to ‘pbuh’. This expression of respect is also used after the name of other prophets. This sign of respect should be
inferred throughout this syllabus.
The word Islam means submission or peace. Muhammad was born in the city of Makkah in 570 CE.
Muhammad is not seen as the founder of Islam but rather as the final Prophet, the first of whom
was Adam. There are many other prophets mentioned in the Qur’an including Ibrahim (Abraham),
Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus). Prophet Muhammad is known as ‘the seal of the prophets’. He is the
Last Prophet.
Muhammad was a trader happily married to his wife, Khadija. At the age of 40 he began
experiencing a series of revelations from God. These revelations were delivered by the Angel Jibril
or Gabriel over a number of years and form the sacred text of the Qur’an. The Quranic text was
written down, during the life of the Prophet, although it was compiled as one volume only after his
death The words are regarded as a direct transmission from God Himself. Allah is the Arabic name
for God.
Prophet Muhammad and his followers were persecuted in Makkah and eventually migrated to
Madinah in 622 CE. This was known as the Hijrah. By the time of the Prophet’s death in 632 CE,
Islam was an established religion in the Arabian peninsula.
The Qur’an and Hadith
The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a 23-year period. Muslims show their
love and obedience to God by being obedient to the words in the Qur’an and living as closely as
possible to the way the Prophet lived. The Qur’an gives guidance on a range of topics about
everyday life, ethical, spiritual, social and moral issues. It is treated with reverence, being handled
carefully, and ideally read on a daily basis. Children will often learn to read Arabic and recite the
Qur’an at an early age. Recitation is important to Muslims: the words of the Quran have a power
when spoken that doesn’t go with them being read.
The Hadith are a collection of the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. The word
Sunnah means ‘Way (of the Prophet)’, and is the life example of the Prophet as reported in the
Hadith. Whereas the Qur’an is seen as the word of God, the Hadith are classified according to
various levels of authenticity.
Tawhid
Islam is a monotheistic religion. The concept of Tawhid is the oneness of God. God is more
important than everything. God cannot be represented pictorially: any picture would be an
inadequate distortion, so Islamic art often uses calligraphy and geometric design to express
beauty. The different attributes of God are shown in his 99 beautiful names such as Al-Rahim the
most merciful and Al-Hafeez the protector of the weak.
The belief in one God is at the centre of the declaration of faith – the Shahadah.
The Five Pillars of Islam
These provide a structure and a focus for Muslim daily life and worship. Muslims express and
uphold their faith by practising these pillars. The Pillars focus belonging, community and worship
in relation to time: from daily, to annually, to once in a lifetime, there is a ritual to strengthen the
community.
The Shahadah (The declaration of faith)
‘There is no god but the One God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.’
Belief in the oneness of God is the foundation of Islam. The words of the Shahadah form part of
the words of the Adhan, which are the first words whispered into the ear of a newborn baby and
are also the last words a Muslim will hope to hear before s/he dies.
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Salah (Prayer)
The ritual prayers (salah – also referred to as namaz), are offered five times a day. All Muslims are
required to pray from the age of about 12. Prayer enables one to develop a closer relationship with
God. Prayers are said at specific times of day, (once early in the morning, once in the night and the
others dispersed through the day), the times will alter slightly depending on the time of year. At
the mosque, Muslims pray in rows behind the Imam, the leader of congregational prayers. Prayer
can be carried out anywhere that is clean. Often a prayer mat is used to pray on, but as long as a
space is clean it is not essential to use one. Muslims will have to have made Wudhu (ablution),
before they pray, so access to water is useful. Muslims face Makkah (towards South East in the UK)
when they pray.
Sawm (Fasting)
Many Muslims fast at various times of the year, but the month of Ramadan (the 9th month in the
Islamic calendar) has special religious significance. In this month every adult Muslim fasts from
dawn until sunset. Fasting involves refraining from eating, drinking, smoking (and other bad habits)
and sexual relations. Ramadan is an opportunity to increase one’s God consciousness ‘taqwa’, it is
regarded as a time of spiritual discipline that contributes to spiritual growth. There is also a sense
of identifying with the poor, and encouraging Muslims to give to the weak and needy. There are
exemptions to fasting, for example, for pregnant women, the sick and the elderly, but they must try
and make up the time at a later date.
Zakah (Almsgiving)
All Muslims must annually give 2.5 per cent of their savings. This is distributed among the poor and
needy. This simple starting point is more complex in practice, where different kinds of wealth
attract different levels of Zakah. One impact of the practice of Zakah is that a British charity such as
Islamic Relief has an income from donations of over £40 million in a year, used for development
work across the world.
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah)
Pilgrimage to Makkah is an obligatory act of worship for those who can afford it and are physically
able. All Muslims should try to complete the Hajj once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage takes place
in the last month of the Islamic calendar Dhul-Hijjah. During the Pilgrimage, Muslims are required
to dress simply, focus on worshipping God and be careful not to argue or lose their temper. This is
called being in ‘Ihram’. As everyone, rich and poor, black and white, are required to dress in the
same way and perform the same rituals, Hajj symbolises simplicity, equality, the cosmopolitan
nature of the world in one place, and the unity of humanity.
Festivals
Two very important festivals are Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Adha. Id-ul-Fitr celebrates the end of the fast
of Ramadan. This is a time to ask for forgiveness, thank God for everything He has blessed one
with and share in congregational prayers. Special food is prepared and shared with family and
friends. Presents are given and new clothes are often bought. This is also a time when Muslims will
visit the cemetery and remember dead family and friends. Id-ul-Adha celebrates the devotion
shown to God by his Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Isma’il. God ordered that a lamb was
sacrificed instead of Isma’il and so this festival is about devotion to God. In keeping with this
practice of Abraham, animals are sacrificed and distributed to family, neighbours, and the poor, or
money is given to charities who will ensure a sacrifice is made and given to the poor on your
behalf.
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In the UK:
The Muslim communities of the UK have grown rapidly in recent decades, and now number well
over 2½ million people (Census 2011: 2 700 000). That’s about 4.8% of the UK population. Most of
these people are British born Muslims. Over 1700 mosques provide for Muslim worship and
community association.
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Islam: Some ‘Dos and Don’ts’
‘Dos’
‘Don’ts’
 Do teach pupils about the origin and spread
 Don’t ever equate Islam with terrorism and
of Islam as a world religion: the second largest
on the planet, a religion that means ‘peace’.
 Do use original Islamic materials such as
stories of the Prophet wherever possible.
 Do store a Qur’an carefully, ideally wrapped
and placed on a high shelf away from dirt and
danger and, when showing it to pupils, use a
Qur’an stand to hold it. Model respect and
you will teach respect.
 Do be cautious about asking Muslim children
to do certain forms of artwork. Patterns,
buildings and landscapes are usually
acceptable but representing animals or
humans may not be. Never ask them to ‘draw
God’. No image of Allah is allowed in Islam –
it would be too far from the truth.
 Do stress the important cultural and
intellectual contributions Muslims have made
in fields such as science, mathematics,
language etc.
 Do prepare pupils before exposing them to
recordings of the Call to Prayer or reding from
the Qur’an. They may be beautiful, but
strange to untrained Western ears.
 Do be careful about references to pigs or pork
with Muslim pupils, who may be taught that
pigs are unclean animals, to be avoided in all
forms.
 Do be careful of photos of Shi’ite Muslims
commemorating the martyrdom of Hussein.
Participants often cut themselves, which
appears gruesome and detracts from the
reasons behind it.
 Do prepare pupils before visiting a mosque:
girls should cover their heads and wear calf
length skirts or better still trousers; boys
should cover their heads and all will be
expected to remove their shoes, sitting with
feet pointing towards the Mihrab, in other
words towards Makkah, should be avoided.
 Do choose pictures of Muslims praying
carefully; show a variety of different positions,
not simply rear views.
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violence. Try to help pupils understand the
Islamic meaning of ‘Jihad’. The greater Jihad
refers to striving along a spiritual path. The
lesser Jihad refers to using force to defend
Islam against attack.
 Don’t describe Muhammad as ‘the founder of
Islam’. Muslims believe he is the last and final
Prophet of Islam but that their faith preceded
him and goes back through a long chain of
Prophets to Adam and the beginnings of
human kind.
 Don’t refer to Allah as ‘the Muslim God’.
Muslims believe Abraham, Moses and Jesus
worshipped the same God. ‘Allah’ is the Arabic
word for ‘God’
 Don’t use ‘Muhammadanism’ or
‘Muhammadan’; these suggest devotion to
Muhammad rather than submission to God. Use
‘Islam’ and ‘Muslims’ instead. It’s archaic.
 Don’t touch a Qur’an (or Arabic extract) with
dirty hands, place it on a floor or dirty surface,
put things on top of it or leave it open on a
stand as an exhibit.
 Don’t portray Muhammad or one of his
Companions, in drama or role play or use
illustrations which claim to show Muhammad or
his Companions either in outline or with faces
blanked out as in some forms of Persian art.
 Don’t liken Wudu to Christian Baptism. It is a
preparation for prayer, not a ritual marking
initiation as in Christianity.
 Don’t say Muhammad ‘fled’ from Makkah to
Madinah as it suggests cowardice. He left as
part of an organised ‘emigration’.
 Don’t dwell on historical differences which
resulted in bloodshed e.g. the crusades. To
what extent some of these were religiously
motivated is debatable.
 Don’t allow pupils to believe killing a sheep or
goat at Id-ul-Adha is a sacrifice to a
bloodthirsty God. It is a reminder of the story
of Abraham and Ishma’il. The killing of an
animal results in a sacrifice of generosity which
feeds many.
Non religious world views
RE is for pupils who do not identify with a faith tradition as much as it is for those with a faith
background. RE therefore needs to consider appropriate alternative belief systems to religion
which exist in modern Britain. It is not only religions that regard ethics as central to life, there are
many philosophies that encourage their followers to live life mindful of others’ needs. These
different philosophies can be grouped under the title of non religious ethical life stances including
a broad range of ideologies such as Humanism, agnosticism and atheism. Pupils who call
themselves atheist or agnostic do not necessarily identify themselves as Humanists. In the wider
British population, there are very large numbers of people who describe themselves as ‘spiritual
but not religious.’ Children and young people who see their identity in these terms have the same
rights as Christians, Muslims or Humanists to have their learning needs provided for in publicly
funded schools.
Humanism
Humanists believe that human nature is remarkable but not created by god or any other divine
being. People must rely on humanity not god to support them in life thus human reason, goodwill
and science are the key to dealing with life’s issues and dilemmas. Humanists value truthfulness,
justice, freedom and happiness as positive values and aims in life. Humanists do not refer to
religious texts or authorities when making moral decisions but to their own reason.
Humanists believe it is a reasoned sense of goodness that should support decision making of the
right path to follow for individuals and other people. When considering ethics and ethical
decisions humanists believe we should look at individual cases, considering carefully the individual
situation and the effect of possible choices on the well being of people animal, the environment
and the wider community. When making ethical decisions humanists try to follow the golden rule treat other people as you would like them to treat you.
Humanists believe we should enjoy the positive things in life if it is possible to do that without
harming the environment or other people. Humanists believe it is important to make responsible
choices. Humanists believe in active citizenship and will often be found campaigning against
something they have decided is unjust.
Secular ceremonies for weddings, baby welcoming and funerals, are popular for humanists and
others who want to celebrate or mark these significant life events without using religious texts,
buildings or leaders. There are generally local celebrants and the British Humanist Association
provides texts to support these ceremonies.
In the classroom
www.humanismforschools.org.uk
Humanism and non-religious world views will be referred to in many lessons as you will be
bringing in the experience of the pupils in your class as well as reflecting the beliefs of the
community. A more formal study of Humanism might include reference to beliefs and values,
finding out about humanist ceremonies and ethical activities and for older pupils learning about
contemporary humanist figures.
In the UK
The British Humanist Association has 28 000 ‘members and supporters’. While this is a small
number in comparison to all the religious groups above, there are of course very many more who
seek to live a non-religious ethical way, but don’t formally identify with humanism. 25% of the
population in the 2011 census said they were non-religious.
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Non-religious world views: Dos and Don’ts for the teachers
Do:
Don’t:
 Teach pupils about non-religious ideas to do
with life’s big questions alongside religious
ideas in RE wherever this is appropriate,
throughout the key stages.
 Don’t make presumptions about the stance
pupils or their families may have towards
religion or belief: many non-religious
people may be ‘spiritual but not religious’,
others may feel close to ‘Humanism with a
capital H’ – but not belong to it, and many
find Humanism accurately represents their
values and beliefs
 Do teach about non-religious ways of living
from an early age. Learning from a nonreligious approach and drawing on
experiences of those without faith is always
appropriate.
 Don’t think that RE should leave
Humanism or Atheism for the older pupil.
It is part of life. Young children benefit for
learning about non-religious ways of living.
 Do teach pupils that Humanist believe in
deciding how to act by considering all the
likely consequences, not by referring to a
‘supernatural’ set of rules
 Don’t give the impression that Humanism
is only intellectual or academic:
compassion is perhaps just as important as
rationality in making ethical decisions.
 Use insiders’ ideas, e.g. teaching and learning
activities in the booklets ‘Humanist
Perspectives in RE’ or material from the British
Humanist Association, to present nonreligious ways of life.
 Don’t support or give the impression that
believing in God or a religion is ‘normal’
and being non-religious is not.
 Do present non-religious ways of living in a
positive light and show that a non-religious
ethical life stance is common in Britain today,
and provides strong moral frameworks for
living.
 Don’t ever give the impression that being
non-religious is less likely to lead to a life
of kindness or goodness than being
religious. This is unfair. Many non-religious
people live moral lives that should shame
some religious people!
 Do enable pupils to learn about critiques of
religion, arguments against faith in God or life
after death and the view that religion is, or
can be, a negative factor in human life.
Developing critical skills in relation to
different views is part of RE’s core purpose.
 Don’t shy away from criticism of different
world views. Give pupils the mental tools
to explore truth claims and ideas
rigorously for themselves, and to become
aware of unthinking prejudice about
religion and belief.
 Do teach about the diversity of atheism and
agnosticism. For example, many people are
non-religious but describe their lives as
‘spiritual’ while some atheists think
‘spirituality’ is a meaningless word.
 Don’t suggest that all atheists are the
same. There is as much variety (at least) in
non-religious belief as in different
religions, and agnostics, atheists and
others all see the world individually.
 Do teach pupils about the ways ritual,
celebration, and marking key events may be
done by non-religious people, e.g. for the
 Don’t give the impression that religion is
better than non-religious ways of life, or
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birth of a baby, in a civil wedding, on a ‘big
day’ like new year, or at a non-religious
funeral.
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from the humanist viewpoint vice versa!
Judaism
Judaism is the oldest of the three monotheistic religions and its origins are 4000 years ago in the
time of the Patriarchs: Abraham, his son Isaac and his son Jacob. The name Judaism is derived from
Judah, one of the 12 sons of Jacob.
There are three particularly important features in Judaism:

belief in one God;

the Torah;

the community and their land.
Belief in one God
Jews believe in a creator God who made humans in the image of himself. They believe that we
cannot know what God looks like and so no visual representation of God will be found in
synagogues or homes. Many Jewish people believe the name of God is too sacred to pronounce.
The words of the Shema are at the centre of Jewish belief. The opening of the Shema is,
‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
soul and with all your strength.’
The Torah
The contents of the Torah is at the centre of Judaism as it embodies the covenant that Jewish
people made with God in which God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and look
after his descendants. The teaching in the Torah, which means instruction, contains 613
commandments. The most well known of these are the Ten Commandments, which were given to
Moses.
Jews have other important teachings which together make up the Tenakh or written Torah. These
are:

Torah – five books of Moses;

Nevi’im – the books of the Prophets;
 Ketuvim – the holy writings.
The initials of each of these, T, N, K, make up the word Tenakh.
Also important is the Talmud which is known as the oral law.
The Torah is written in Hebrew, and in Orthodox synagogues it is read in Hebrew. The Torah is
written on a set of parchment scrolls by a qualified scribe. Scrolls are treated with respect and are
dressed in various items before being placed in the Ark of the Covenant in the synagogue. A Torah
scroll is covered with a mantle, it has a silver breast plate, a yad or pointer is used when reading
the scrolls, and bells or crowns are placed on the wooden rollers. The Ark is situated so that
worshippers look towards the holy city of Jerusalem when they are facing it. It takes one year to
complete a reading of the Torah and the festival of Simchat Torah celebrates the completion of
this annual reading. This festival is full of joy with Torah scrolls processed or danced around the
synagogue.
The community and their land
The Jewish identity is very important and at times this has been a challenge as Jews have faced
oppression. The land of Israel is a holy site for Jews, wherever they live in the world. Jews believe it
was promised to them by God through the promise to Abraham and his descendants. There are
many sites of pilgrimage in Jerusalem, the most important of which is the Western Wall, which
formed part of the second temple in Jerusalem.
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The family and the wider Jewish community are essential to living a Jewish life. The Kashrut or
Jewish food laws play an important part in the daily lives of Jews, reminding them of their covenant
with God. Foods which are fit to be eaten are called kosher. Food which is unfit to be eaten is
called treyfah. In order to be kosher only certain types of meat and fish can be eaten and they must
be killed in a special way. Meat and dairy products must not be eaten at the same meal and
separate kitchen utensils and crockery are used for these different types of food. Several hours
must elapse between the eating of a meat meal and a dairy meal.
Many Jewish festivals are based around the home as much as the synagogue, showing the
importance of the family in Judaism. Each week the Shabbat meal is celebrated at home on a
Friday evening. This is followed by a day of rest with the family and a time to worship God.
Festivals
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are two important festivals. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New
Year, which is celebrated in September or October. It is a time for thinking about the achievements
of the past year and considering plans for the next year. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. It
begins at sunset, ten days after Rosh Hashanah. Many Jews fast for 25 hours. It is vital for Jews to
forgive one another for anything they have done wrong before the beginning of Yom Kippur.
There are many other festivals, including Pesach (Passover) and Hanukkah (festival of lights).
In the UK
A Jewish population of around ¼ of a million in the UK is very concentrated in London and the
establishment of Jewish schools can mean that few Jewish children attend community schools. This
makes it important for the teacher of RE to take note of local synagogues: there are over 400 in the
UK. The history of the Jewish community in the UK is interesting and an important topic for study.
This will include the impact of anti-semitism on the Jewish community both within the UK and for
example from wider Europe in the 1930s and 40s. But learning about the holocaust in isolation
from understanding the wide and deep tradition of Jewish life leaves pupils with distortions in their
understanding. Remember this is RE.
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Judaism: Some ‘Dos and Don’ts’
‘Dos’
‘Don’ts’
 Do picture the Jewish religion as alive and
well in the UK today, as well as attending to
the history and global geography of Jewish
people.
 Don’t equate the teaching of Bible
stories with teaching Judaism. RE
should also take into account the life,
beliefs and practices of those in the
Jewish community today.
 Do describe the first 39 books of the Bible as
being ‘the Jewish Bible’ or ‘the Tenakh’. In a
Jewish context, they should not be referred
to as the Old Testament, which is the
Christian term for these books.
 Do attempt to describe the joyous nature of
Judaism. Although Judaism is based on
fulfilling the 613 mitzvot, these are not to be
seen as a burden but undertaken with
sincere intention (kavanah) and often with
joy.
 Do follow the convention of many Jewish
writers in their use of BCE (Before the
Common Era) and CE (Common Era) when
giving dates. The use of BC (Before Christ)
and AD (Anno Domini) might be seen to
assume Christian beliefs in an unhelpful
manner when teaching Judaism.
 Do be cautious about using the term ‘Jews’.
The word developed a pejorative tone
particularly under the Nazis. Many members
of the faith prefer the term ‘the Jewish
people’.
 Do ensure all pupils cover their heads when
visiting a synagogue.
 Do use the term the ‘Western Wall’ when
referring to the remains of the Temple in
Jerusalem. The ‘Wailing Wall’ might be
considered to have negative overtones.
 Do study the holocaust in RE, with an
emphasis on religious and spiritual
questions: e.g. how and why did Jewish
people practice the faith under the Nazis?
What varied impacts on Jewish belief in the
Almighty did the holocaust have?
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 Don’t make use of ‘Yahweh’ or ‘Jehovah’
with reference to God. The Hebrew
letters standing for God YHWH were
never spoken out loud, instead, phrases
like ‘the Eternal’, ‘the Holy One’, ‘King of
the Universe’ are used.
 Don’t depict contemporary Judaism as
the legalistic, narrow minded Pharisaic
form of religion sometimes portrayed in
the New Testament (the early Christian
depiction of Judaism was not always
sympathetic or very accurate: don’t rely
on it).
 Don’t confuse the Menorah, the seven
branched candelabrum and symbol of
Judaism with the Hanukiah, the nine
branched candelabrum used at the
festival of Hanukkah.
 Don’t suggest that Moses on Sinai
received only the Ten Commandments.
In Jewish belief Moses was given God’s
Law, the torah, containing the 613
commandments (mitzvot).
 Don’t always or too often see the Jewish
religion through the lens of the
holocaust. Jewish people presented as
victims of Nazi atrocity should not be
the main or only encounter pupils have
with the religion.
 Don’t over-emphasise or ignore the
place of anti-semitic persecutions.
Instead, let Jewish voices speak for
themselves about the faith, the tradition
and the persecutions.
Sikhism
Central to Sikhism is a belief in one God. God is described by Sikhs as Truth, Eternal and Creator.
These beliefs are reflected in the Mool Mantar, an important part of the Sikh holy book which is
regularly used in worship.
Sikhs believe in equality, which is essential for ethical decision making. All people are equal,
whether male or female, Sikh or follower of a different belief system. Sikhs show their belief in
equality in many ways, for example, anyone can eat in the langar, the free kitchen provided after
every service in the gurdwara. Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru, said that there is no difference
between a temple and a mosque, or between the prayers of a Hindu and those of a Muslim.
The concept of service, sewa, is essential to Sikhs. There are many different types of service: manual
service, such as preparing and serving food in the langar, or cleaning the shoes of the worshippers;
or charitable service, such as giving money or goods to charity; or intellectual service, such as
teaching children about Sikhism or showing adults around the gurdwara.
Sikhs should take part in honest work. This is work that is needed for the good of both the family
and the wider community. Work should not exploit others. This links with the ideas of equality and
the idea of generosity of possessions and time.
The Mool Mantar (an interpretation in English)
‘There is one God
Truth by name
Maker of all things
Fearing nothing and at enmity with nothing
Timeless is his image
Not subject to the circle of birth and death
Self existent
By the grace of the Gurus
Made known to men.’
The Sikh Gurus
Guru Nanak was the first of the Sikh Gurus, born in 1469, and it was his teachings that were the
beginnings of the Sikh religion. There have been ten Gurus, who Sikhs believe conveyed God’s
word to their age.
Guru Nanak (1469 to 1539)
With a few disciples, he devoted himself to meditation on the name of God and writing hymns to
help believers reach out to God. He travelled widely, teaching through the words he had written.
He shaped the Mool Mantar.
Guru Angad (1504 to 1574)
Created the script in which the scriptures are written.
Guru Amar Das (1534 to 1581)
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He taught the practice of the sharing of a common meal in the langar.
Guru Ram Das (1534 to 1581)
Founded the city of Amritsar and built a shrine which has now grown into the Golden Temple
.
Guru Arjan (1563 to 1606)
He collected together the hymns of the first four Gurus, which became the Adi Granth, the first part
of the Guru Granth Sahib. He was the first Guru martyr when he was killed by Emperor Jehangir.
Guru Har Gobind (1595 to 1644)
He taught Sikhs to stand up against oppression and injustice and instituted the Nishan Sahib.
Guru Hari Rai (1630 to 1661)
Guru Har Krishan (1656 to 1664)
Guru Tegh Bahadar (1621 to 1675)
He was killed for sharing his belief that everyone should be free to worship God in any way that
they choose.
Guru Gobind Singh (1666 to 1708)
He created the Khalsa in April 1699 at the festival of Baisakhi. He said that after him there would be
no more human Gurus and that from then on the Guru Granth Sahib was the place to look for
spiritual guidance.
The Guru Granth Sahib
This written text is the sacred book of Sikhism, but is revered and treated as a living guru, and is a
guide for Sikhs after the time of the first Ten Gurus. It is a collection of hymns and words of the
Gurus. It is considered to be the last Guru and so is treated carefully with respect and honour. It is
held high above the head when it is moved and put on a bed in its own special room at night.
When it is being used in worship it is positioned higher than the worshippers. A book of extracts
from the holy book is called a Gutka and many Sikhs find this easier to keep at home than a full
Guru Granth Sahib.
The Gurdwara
This means house of the Guru and is the place where the Guru Granth Sahib is housed and is also a
place of worship. The Nishan Sahib, the Sikh flag, is flown, declaring freedom of worship and the
availability of hospitality. It is also the focus of life for the Sikh community where religious teaching
takes place and many other community activities.
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The Five Ks
In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh instituted the Khalsa, a group of committed Sikhs. To show their
commitment they were to wear a number of symbols: the five Ks.
1. Kesh – Uncut hair. A man will cover his uncut hair with a turban.
2. Kangha – A small comb which keeps the hair in place.
3. Kara – A steel bracelet which is worn on the right wrist. It is a symbol of the oneness of
God.
4. Kachera – Shorts which are worn under clothes to symbolise action. In the Punjab they
would have allowed for freedom of movement and modesty.
5. Kirpan – A sword which a Sikh should always carry to symbolise the readiness to defend
the faith or use against oppression.
Sikhs who join the Khalsa take part in an initiation ceremony called the Amrit ceremony. Joining
the Khalsa means someone making promises that require a high level of commitment to the faith
and in their own personal life.
Festivals
There are two different types of festivals. Gurpurbs are holy days related to the life of a Guru, such
as the birthday of Guru Nanak. Melas are days that coincide with a Hindu festival but are also
significant because of something that happened during the life of one of the Gurus, for example
Divali when Guru Har Gobind was freed from prison having negotiated the release of all the other
prisoners.
In the UK
There are nearly half a million Sikh people in the UK, and over 250 Gurdwaras have been
established over the last 50 years.
Oldham Council working in partnership with
Oldham SACRE 2014 - 2019
Sikhism: Some ‘Dos and Don’ts’
‘Dos’
‘Don’ts’
 Do present Sikh faith as alive and well in
the UK today. There are over half a
million Sikhs in this country. Use local
examples wherever possible.
 Don’t use three-dimensional images of Guru
Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. They
resemble too closely images of gods and
goddesses used by Hindus. Sikhs have
expressed the fear that people will equate the
place of the Guru in Sikhism with the place of
the gods in Hinduism. The Gurus are great
and admired human teachers of truth.
 Do be careful when showing pupils the
5 K’s of Sikhism. In particular, showing
the ‘kachs’ can result in poor responses
from pupils. Some introduction to the
origins of this form of symbolic
underwear and its practical significance
may help avoid such a response.
 Do talk to pupils about receiving karah
prashad prior to visiting a gurdwara.
This is a sacred food offered to each
member of the congregation at the end
of worship and also to visitors. It isn’t to
everyone’s taste and it would be
impolite to be seen to be throwing it
away after accepting it. Decisions about
the appropriateness of taking karah
prasad should be made before the visit
takes place, in conversation with your
hosts.
 Do talk to children before they visit
about bowing in front of the Guru
Granth Sahib. Some people do this as a
mark of respects to Sikhs and Sikhism.
Others decline because it feels to them
like worshipping in the Sikh faith.
 Do brief pupils about how they should
sit when visiting a Gurdwara. Feet
should not be pointed towards the Guru
Granth Sahib and boys and girls should
expect to be seated separately. Boys
and girls should cover their heads and
girls should wear calf length skirts or,
better still, trousers.
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 Don’t refer to the Amrit Ceremony as being
the ‘Sikh Baptism’. The two rituals are not
good parallels. Generally, avoid describing
one religion in terms of another. Use general
language: ‘initiation ceremonies’.
 Don’t use the term ‘Granth’ by itself. It should
be accompanied by the honorific titles such as
‘Guru Granth Sahib’ or ‘Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Ji’.
 Don’t call the kirpan, one of the 5 K’s of
Sikhism, a ‘dagger’. However small, it is a
‘sword’ and should be introduced in the Sikh
context as a noble weapon, in keeping with
the Sikh notion of the ‘saintly knight’ and the
importance of defending truth and justice.
 Don’t refer to the chauri as a ‘fly whisk’. It is a
fan and is used to symbolise the authority of
the Guru Granth Sahib.
 Don’t call a kara a bracelet as it suggests that
it is merely decorative. ‘Bangle’ isn’t much
better. It is a ‘steel band’.
 Don’t ask people to act out the role of a guru
in a drama or play. This would be seen by
some Sikhs as disrespectful.
Oldham Agreed Syllabus for RE, 2013
Teaching controversial issues: the Role of the Teacher
The principal concern of any teacher is the education of the whole child through the provision of
appropriate learning experiences. There is also a natural involvement in the pastoral care of pupils
which may from time to time involve awareness of the spiritual domain. Teaching religious
education requires nothing from the teacher by way of personal commitment to a religious
understanding of life. It does require the acceptance that such a view is a valid one that is, and has
been, held by many people and that its study is a significant part of the whole curriculum. This
acceptance is a commitment to an educational view of the subject. Religious education is not
concerned with the nurture of a particular faith or the acceptance of a particular way of life.
Nurture is the responsibility of the home and the church, gurdwara, mosque, synagogue or temple.
The school is concerned with education.
Religious education will quite properly encourage an interest in religion, and in particular faiths
among pupils, just as other curriculum subjects such as music, PE or Mathematics may be
influential on particular pupils. But it is not the aim of RE to produce or encourage any particular
beliefs, religious or secular, among pupils. This must not be the intention of a teacher in a school
where this Agreed Syllabus applies. This does not mean that a teacher cannot share religious
insights or enthusiasms with pupils as he/she might share artistic or musical ones. Professional
care needs to be taken that such enthusiasms do not step over the borders between education and
into such activities as evangelisation or proselytising.
This understanding of religious education should commend the subject to all teachers whatever
their personal position. Commitment to a particular religious or secular standpoint is not a barrier
to involvement in religious education. Indeed the personal positions of both teacher and pupils
legitimately form a significant part of the approach to religious education which underlies this
Agreed Syllabus.
Dealing with pupils' questions and disclosures
The nature of RE, when children are learning from religion (knowledge and understanding) and
reflecting on and responding to human experience, may lead to pupils asking difficult questions or
even making personal disclosures. Understandably, teachers can find such situations difficult to
handle; it seems easy to say the wrong thing. This leads to a temptation to focus on activities
where knowledge and understanding about religions is prioritised, thus avoiding potentially
difficult situations. However, this denies pupils access to those aspects of RE that are the most
educationally rewarding, including creativity and enquiry.
Examples of difficult situations include pupils:






Asking questions to which the religions have no agreed answer, e.g. 'Was Jesus the son of
God?’
Asking questions that raise difficult philosophical or theological issues, e.g. 'Why does a
supposedly good God allow suffering?' (or more concrete and personal versions of this
question);
Asking what the teacher believes, e.g. 'Do you believe in God?'
Making comments or asking questions that reflect an offensive or unreflective approach to
religion, e.g. 'Are you one of the God squad?'
Making disclosures that reveal personal faith commitments, e.g. 'I believe that the Qur'an is the
absolute word of God';
Making disclosures that are personal, e.g. 'My grandma died yesterday',
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
Making inappropriate value judgements on the faith of other people, e.g. 'People who believe
that are stupid!'
Such situations may be difficult for one or more reasons:
 they may cause upset or offence to other pupils;
 they may expose the pupil to upsetting comments;
 they may reveal misunderstandings that seem in need of correction;
 there may be no straightforward answer to the question;
 they may reveal an inability to cope with differences of opinion;
 they may be embarrassing;
 there may not be time to deal with them;
 the teacher may not have the training or knowledge needed to deal with them.
There are no 'off-the-shelf' ways of dealing with such classroom incidents. Teachers will need to
use their professional judgement and sensitivity.
The ethos of the school, and the contribution of RE to it, will be important in establishing the right
climate for dealing with such questions and incidents. The following practical guidelines may be of
help.
Practical guidelines
1. Encourage the use of 'owning and grounding' language such as 'in my opinion' or 'some
Hindus would say'. This allows belief statements to be made in the classroom without everyone
feeling they have to agree.
2. Treat the question or incident as a positive rather than negative event, wherever possible.
Remember that it is the way the incident is dealt with and how the class response is managed
that matters most.
3. Affirm the importance of the pupils' contribution, even if you don't agree with it, with phrases
like 'I've often wondered about that too, that is an excellent question', 'You're not the only one
who doesn't know the answer to that.'
4. Help pupils to understand that diversity of opinion and the existence of unanswerable
questions are aspects of life that we all have to learn to live with, and may welcome. Education,
age or intelligence will not eliminate all of these aspects.
5. Allow for the possibility of a range of answers or opinions. For example, use 'most Christians
would probably say..., but some Muslims would think differently, saying…’ Encourage an
awareness of diversity without undermining the pupil's own beliefs.
6. Use the situation to open up rather than close down conversation or thinking. Encourage a
'let’s explore this together' approach in which the teacher is a participant, not simply an expert.
7. Encourage further exploration by suggesting other people that pupils could ask, eg faith
community leaders, or places where they might find help, eg the resource centre or library. In
particular, affirm the importance of people close to the pupil, such as their family, their faith
community, their friends.
8. Correct factual misinformation, wherever possible, without confrontation. But always respect
the right of the pupils, their families and the members of the communities to which they
belong to hold their own beliefs.
9. In the case of personal disclosure, the prime need may be for comfort rather than abstract
discussion of any concepts involved. With some pupils it may be possible to suggest a followup to the pupil's disclosure (eg with a personal tutor), but without 'fobbing-off' the importance
of it. If this is not possible, set the class an activity that provides time to attend to the pupil or
allows the pupil some personal space.
10. Throw questions back for further clarification with phrases like 'What do you think?', 'Can you
clarify...?', 'What would happen if... ?'. Aim to keep the pupil pondering, rather than giving
closed answers that seem clear cut when the issue is anything but clear cut.
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11. Be as honest as possible without being ruthless. For example, it does not help to tell a pupil
that her granddad has gone to heaven if the teacher does not believe that, or if it would be
offensive to the pupil. But a teacher could tell the pupil that many religious people believe that.
In these circumstances a teacher should not normally challenge a pupil's belief. Keeping one's
integrity with sensitivity is important.
12. Let a discussion develop if it is being taken seriously by the class. But have a quiet or reflective
technique ready to provide a suitable close to the discussion, eg a chance for the pupils to
make a private diary entry or to make a personal resolution based on the lesson.
13. Never intrude into a pupil's personal life. There should always be the freedom to remain silent
in lessons where the discussion is intimate or deep. Teaching the whole class rather than small
groups may reduce the risk of particular pupils being exposed to such intrusions.
14. Establish ground rules with the class for discussing controversial issues.
15. If a difficult issue arises, which is impossible to handle properly, return to it later when it can be
dealt with in a more considered way.
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